Juventus shares hit new record ahead of Champions League decider

News2416 Apr 2019, 04:13 GMT+10

Milan - Juventus shares hit a record high on the Milan stock exchange at the close of business on Monday, ahead of the team's Champions League quarter-final, second leg clash against Dutch club Ajax in Turin.

Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo gave Juventus the edge with a precious away goal, his 125th in the competition, in a 1-1 draw in Amsterdam last week as both teams target a semi-final berth.

Shares rose by 2.19% to €1.706 ($1.93) at the close of business on Monday, beating the previous record of €1.672 ($1.89) achieved on September 19.

Juventus, the most successful football club in Italian history, made its debut on the Milan stock exchange in December 2001.

After feeble returns shares recovered during the course of the 2017-2018 season, exploding after the arrival of the five-time Ballon d'Or winner from Real Madrid last summer.

Shares had been trading around 0.6 euro in mid-May, jumping to €1.8 during the session on September 20, before dipping slightly following rape allegations against Ronaldo in the United States dating back to 2009 which he vehemently denies.

The 34-year-old was signed for €100 million ($117 million) last summer, and earns an annual €31 million salary and is aiming to help Juventus lift the title they last won in 1996.

They have finished runners-up in their last five final appearances, most recently in 2015 and 2017.

Ronaldo rescued the team's European campaign with an incredible hat-trick in the last 16 against Atletico Madrid last month.

Juventus are also on course for an eighth consecutive Serie A title, needing just one point to secure the Scudetto for the 35th time.